Ralph had just received his fourth "drunk driving" arrest. He was thinking about representing himself in court, but his father, Sam, told him that this would be a really big mistake. When Ralph heard this, he asked Sam why he should even consider getting a DWI attorney.
Although Sam wasn’t a lawyer, he told his son that he learned the hard way when as a young man he received a DWI, represented himself in court, paid five thousand dollars in penalties and fines, and served 60 days in the local city jail. As he mentioned to his son, after he got out of jail, he found out from an attorney friend that had he hired a DUI lawyer to represent him in court, he probably would have had his fines and penalties substantially reduced and he may have never served any jail time.
What a ”Drunk Driving” Attorney Can Do in a DWI Arrest.
When Ralph heard this he knew he needed more DUI facts so he asked his dad for more information about what a ”drunk driving” attorney can do in a DWI arrest. His dad then articulated the following: "A DWI lawyer will be able to discover 'irregularities' and bring this evidence to the attention of the prosecution and the court. And in some cases, and based on this 'evidence,' your DUI lawyer will be able to get your charges substantially reduced or maybe even dismissed.”
When Ralph listend to his father explain this, it was as if his eyes were opened for the first time about the critical nature of hiring a ”drunk driving" lawyer. Stated differently, Ralph realized that he needed a DUI lawyer.
The Honest Truth About Taking Field Sobriety Tests
He then told his father that he had heard a lot about field sobriety tests. As a consequence, he asked his father what a field sobriety test was.
His dad responded with the following: “Ralph, field sobriety tests are administered by the police in order to find out if a person has been operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or both. Field sobriety tests are often based on coordination and agility. The 'rationale' underlying these tests is that if a person is impaired from drugs, alcohol, or from both, his or her coordination and agility will be negatively affected and the person’s 'performance' on these tests will suffer.”
Ralph’s father then wanted to stress the following: "Ralph, remember that you cannot be legally forced to take any field sobriety tests when you are stopped by the police. The police officer that administers the tests is the only 'evaluator' of your performance and is therefore frequently documenting only the things that you do incorrectly or fail. As a result, in the vast majority of cases, a polite refusal to take any field sobriety test is appropriate.”
Near the end of their conversation, Ralph said that was beginning to understand more about “drunk driving” laws and what DWI attorneys can do for a person who has received a ”drunk driving” arrest, but he was still wondering why he was pulled over by the police in the first place. In his own words Ralph asked his father the following question: “Dad, why was I pulled over by the police? Exactly what were they looking for”?
His father answered Ralph in the following way: “Ralph, there are several diverse reasons why you could have been 'stopped' by a police officer. Some examples include the following: involvement in a traffic accident, expired registration tags, missing a front license plate, weaving in and out of traffic, speeding, tinted windows, and driving erratically. Not only this but someone could have also reported you to the police after seeing you leaving a sporting event, a party, a restaurant, or a bar 'under the influence' and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. In a word, there are more than a few reasons why you were 'stopped' by a police officer.”
After getting “schooled” about DWI arrests, the role of ”driving under the influence” attorneys, and the fact that he didn’t have to agree to take any field sobriety tests at the time of his arrest, Ralph decided that he would without a doubt hire a ”driving under the influence” lawyer to represent him in court.
Ralph Becomes Encouraged That He Will Always Drink Responsibly and Never Face Another DUI Arrest
Something else, however, happened after he had talked to his father. Ralph finally began to understand the critical nature of DUI arrests and as a result, he made up his mind that from this point forward, he would always drink responsibly so that he would never again have to experience another "drunk driving" arrest.
His dad smiled at Ralph and told him the following, “Ralph, it took me until I was forty years old to realize what you just told me. I am very proud of you.
Ralph thanked his father and then said, "if I can always drink responsibly, I will never need to hire a DUI attorney again!"
Does Ralph Need Alcohol Treatment For His Alcohol Abuse or For His Alcoholism?
There was, however, one thing that neither Ralph nor his father thought about, namely, if Ralph needs alcohol rehab for his alcoholism or for his alcohol abuse. In fact, Ralph may be required by the court to get rehab for his abusive and careless drinking.
